Tilting device for automobile headlight reflectors



.May 25 ,1926. 1,585,674

v c.A A. MICHEL TILTI'NG DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILE HEADLIGHT REFLECTORS y? munuuu y Maw? am May 25, 192s. 1,585,674 c. A. MICHEL I TILT'ING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILE HEADLIGHT RFLECTORS Filed June v, 1923 2 sheets-Shenr -2 Patented May 25, 1926.

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CLARENCE A. MICHEL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GUIDE LIOTOR LAMP MANUFACTURING COMPANLOF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A. CORPORATION 0F OHIO.

TILTING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILE l-IEADLIGHT REFLECTORS.

Application filed June 7, 1923.

'lhis invention relates generally to automobile headlights and more particularly to a novel means :for tilting or shifting the position oit the reflector for the purpose of reflecting the rays of light downwardly or straight ahead as preferred.

The object oic the invention is to provide a shifting means of such a construction that it can be moved in either direction upon the application olf a small amount of torce and another object is to so construct and arrange the various parts that they will be not only easy to operate but also safe and secure in their adjusted position. V

Another object is to provide a shifting means which can be conveniently applied to most of the various types of lamp bodies now in common use.

With these various Objects in vie-w, the invention consists in the details of construction and in the manner of combining or arranging the same, all of which will be fully described hereinafter and set 'forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part ot this speciication,

Figure l is a vertical sectional View of an automobile headlight provided with my im proved reflector shifting device, said device being` shown in elevation;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the shifting device in the same position as indicated in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a similar view with the shift? ing device in reversed position;

Figure t is a detailed sectional view on the line .L-et of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a detail view illustrating` the connection of the. rod to the reflector;

Figure 6 is a view showing a portion of the reiiector broken away and disclosing the position of the shifting mechanism within thel lamp casing.

Figures 7 and 8 are detail views illusl'i'ating the manner of pivoting the reflector.

Referringto the drawings A indicates the lamp casing which may be of any preferred construction and B the reflector arranged therein, the front of the casing being provided with any suitable type of door 'frame C in which the glass is arranged. D indicates the usual type of incandescent lamp fitted into a socket which is here shown as sensi No. stessa adjustable through the medium of a stamping E .suitably mounted upon the rear face of the reiicctor through the medium-of the straps F and spring G. These. features oi construction7 however', form no part of my present invention which is directed entirely to the means for shitting the reiiector7 said reiector having trunnions H connected thereto and which are pivoted in a suitable bearing arranged at opposite sides of the lamp easing. Connected to the lower edge of the reflector is a rod K having-a head K which is held in place by means ot' a plate K2 having a countersunk opening K3 into which the head of the rod lits so that there can be a limited rocking movement between the iiange of the reflector and the head at the forward end of the rod.

The rear end of the rod is screwed into a transverse pin L, the ends of which slide in the horizontal slots M of a guide or sleeve M which is rigidly connected to a stamping N which is securely fixed to the interior of the lamp casing, this stamping having upwardly projecting members N to which are connected the laterally projecting ears M2 punched from the guide or sleeve M as most clearly shown in Figure 6.

It will be noted by reference to Figure 6 that the stamping N is provided with two sets of upwardly projecting members N, this being Jfor the purpose of connecting the shifting mechanism to either side, the lamps being arranged as rights and lefts upon the automobile.

The transverse pin L also passes through the forward end of a block or plug O which is shifted back and forth in the guide or sleeve M by means oir' a rod P extending rearwardly and connected in any suitable manner with any operative mechanism ai'- ranged upon the dash board or other convenient portion of the automobile and this forward end of the block or plug through which the pin passes is biiturcated as shown at O and arranged within this bifurcation or slot is the lower bifurcated end It ot' a lever R, the lever being bifurcated at its lower end in order to straddle the forwardly extending rod K as most clearly shown in Fig. et and at its upper end this lever R is formed with oppositely disposed later-alliy )ro'ectinc` iortions havino' recesses It into which fit the eyes or loops S at the end of' the coil spring tl, said coil springpassing around beneath tlieguidc or sleeve itil moet clearly shown.

The lever lil worlfs through a slot M3 duced in the uA er portion of the sleeve iii and it will be noted that nl. extends adjacent to but terminates sho "f the tornI 'l cud of the iide or sleeve le, lf dcsircd the iowerforn d end of the or sleeve can be formed w1t` n a dov K extending stop flange M* to prevent the possibility of the tension spring S slipping be youd the forward end of the guide or sleeve.

In practice I prefer to surround the rod K with a coil spring T, the forward end of which bears against the reflector and the rear end against the pin L and lever R in order to prevent rattling.

By means of the apparatus herein shown and described the positionl of the reflector can be easily and quickly shifted by moving the rod P in the proper direction. This movement of the rod P shifts the bloc-lt or plug 0 and consequently the pin L, said pin sliding in the slots M. When the pin L moves, it carries with it the lower end of the lever R and the intermediate Aportion of the lever is at the beginning of the movement of the block and pin in contact with one end of the slot M3 and tension is being exerted upon the lever and consequently upon the pin through the medium of the coil spring S but as the block or plug and pin continue to move and the lever fulcrums against the end of the slot, there will come a time when the end of the .lever and the sliding pin and spring are brought into alignment and then the tension spring will immediately shift in the direction opposite to that in which the pin is moving and will carry the lever to the reverse position, so t-hat the tension spring and pin move in opposite directions and consequent-ly the shifting movement is quickly and easily accomplished and after the same has been accomplished, the lever, pin and sliding block or plug together with the rods connected thereto will be held tirmly and securely in thatadjusted position.

In Figure 1 I have sho-wn the reflector tilted downwardly and when the reflector is in this position the block or plug O and pin L are in their rearmost positions and the spring S is in its foremost position. 1ilhen, however, the reflector is shifted back to its normal or straight position, the block or plug is moved forwardly and likewise the pin, reversing the direction of' the lever and the. tension spring immediately shifts to its rearmost position, these different positions of the several parts being most clearly shown in Figures 2 and Tt will thus be seen that owing to the peculiar construction and arrangement of the safe and eficient shifting mechanism which can be quickly and easily manil'iulated to accomplish the desired results.

lVhat I claim is:

l. In a device ofthe kind described. the combination with a casing and pivoted le tlector, of a rod connected to said reflector, a slid-able member to which said rod is pivotally connected, a lever pivoted to said slid able member and having laterally dispose: arms, a guide for the sliding member and spring surrounding the guide and having its ends connected to the laterally disposed lever arnis and means for actuating the slidable member.

Q. In a headlight, the combination with a casing and reflector pivoted therein, of a guide arranged in the casing, a member slidable therein, a pin extending transversely through said. slidable member, a lever pivotally connected to said pin, said guide being provided with means for limiting` the mov-en'ient of said pin and lever, a 4spring surrounding said guide and having its ends connected to the upper end of said lever, a rod connected to the sli-dable member for actuating the same and a rod connected to the pin, and with the reflector.

3. In a headlight, the combination with a casing and reflector pivoted therein, of a guide having oppositely disposed slots in the sides thereof, and a slot in the upper portion thereof, a block movable in said guide, a pin passing transversely through the block and having its ends movable in the slots in the sides of the guide, a lever arranged in the slot in the upper portion of the guide and having its lower end connected to the pin, and a tension spring surrounding the guide and having its ends connected to the upper end of the lever, an actuating rod connected to the sliding block and a rod extending from the pin to the reflector.

4. In a headlight, the combination with a casing and reflector pivoted therein, of a guide having oppositely disposed slots in the sides thereof and a slot in the upper portion thereof, a block slidable in said guide, one end of said block being slotted or bifurcated, a pin passing' transversely through said bifurcated end of the blocv and having its ends movable in the slots in the sides of the guide, a lever arranged in the slot in the upper portion of the guide and having its lower en-d connected to the pin, said lower end of the lever being located in the .slot or bifurcation of the block, the upper end of the lever being provided with oppositely projecting arms, and a coil spring surrounding the guide and having its opposite ends connected to the arms of the lever, means connected to the block for moving` the same and a rod extending from the various parts that I am able to provide pin to the reflector.

ll l) 5. 'In a device of the kind described, the combination with a casing and reflector pivoted therein, of a stamping connected to the casing,` and having upwardly projecting members, a sleeve positioned between said members, .said sleeve having` oppositely disposed integral ears attached to said upwardly projecting members of the stamping, said sleeve having oppositely disposed slots in the sides thereof and a slot in the upper side thereof, a block movable in said sleeve, one end of said block being bifurcated, a lever arranged in the slot in the sleeve and having its lower end in the bifurcation of the block, the upper end of said lever being provided. with oppositely disposed arms, and a pin passing transversely through the sleeve and bifurcated end of block and the lower end of the lever, the ends of said pin being Inovable in the oppositely disposed slots in the sides of the sleeve and a spring surrounding the lower side of the sleeve and having its ends connected to the arms of the lever, means for actuating the block in the sleeve and a rod connected to the pin and also to the reflector, said lever fnlcrnming upon the ends of the slot when the block is moved and said spring being movable in a. direction reverse t0 the movement of the pin during the movement of the block.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aix my signature.

CLARENCE A. MICHEL. 

